Improvement in grain-driers



.CHARLES F. CHECHESTER.

Improvement in 'Grain Driers.

Patented Dec. 5, 1871.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron,

CHARLES F. QHIOHESTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-DRIERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,588, dated December5, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. OHIcHEsTER, of Brooklyn, Kings county,New York, have invented an Improvement in Drying Grain, and thefollowing is declared to be a correct description of the same.

This invention has for its object the utilization of all the heat of thefire in drying the grain and the equalization of the action of the sameupon the grain. The furnace employed is constructed so that the air, asit enters, becomes warmed by the sides of the furnace, and then mixesdirectly with the products of combustion and descends, so as to producea plenum, and passes up the fines of the drier. The grain is containedin a vertical bin between two hot-air spaces, and across through the binare A-shaped tables supporting the g ain. In one range the hot air fromone flue enters beneath the tables through holes at one end and passesacross above the grain, taking up the moisture and escaping by a rangeof pipes going across the other air-flue. to a chimney. In the nextrange of tables the direction of the air is the opposite way in orderthat the grain may be dried in all parts alike.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a cross-section of the furnace, showing alsopart of the drying apparatus in section, and Fig. 2 is a section inlarger size of some of the tables.

The furnace to is made with grate-bars 1), side walls 0, and asupply-door of any usual character. This is inclosed with side walls 0and an arch, f, and from the back an opening, 1 passes into the hot-airfines h k at the sides of the grain bin I. The air enters between thewalls 0 and r, and, passing over the latter, mingles in the upper partof the furnace beneath the arch f with i the products of combustion fromthe fire, and as these have to descend there will be a plenum thatinsures a uniform temperature of the air and gases as they pass awayinto the fines h k,

that are at a convenient distance above the exitduced near the edges ofthese tables to stiffen the metal and make the same less liable to bendunder the weight of the grain. The ranges of tables i have openings 3through the side of the bin to admit air from the flue h to pass inbeneath the tables of such range and across the grain, taking upmoisture from the same and heating the tables,and the air then passes bythe tubes 1" across the air-space k and into the escape-chimney f. Theair from the flue It passes the other way, going in through the openings4 across beneath the tables 0, and by the tubes .sacross the air-space hto the chimney u.

By this construction the action of the heated air in drying the grain isequalized and rendered uniform throughout, which is not the case in thegrain-driers heretofore employed, where the air passes in at one side,thence through the mass of grain, and off by another openin I am awarethat atmospheric air has been min gled with the products of combustionand passed through a perforated table over which grain has passed, butin this case the grain is liable to be scorched and injured. In myapparatus the heated air and products of combustion commingle, and thenequalize in a separate chamber previous to passing across the grain-binand over the surface of the grain beneath the tables.

I claim as my inventionl. The furnace for a grain-drier, made with thedouble-side walls 0 c, arch f, and opening 1 for mixing atmospheric airwith the products of combustion and passing the same directly into thedrying apparatus, as set forth.

2. The arrangement of the iiues h It, bin 1, ranges of tables 1' o, andpipes r s, leading to the chimneys t a, as and for the purpose setforth.

3. The sheet-metal tables for a grain-drier, made as an inverted trough,with ribs in the sheet metal near the edges, for the purposes and as setforth.

Signed by me this 9th day of September, A. D. 1871.

CHAS. F. UHIOHESTER.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, OnAs. H. S1vnrn. (48)

